The Importance of Mealybugs and Colony Compatibility in Augmentation of Dolichoderus Thoracicus (Smith) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Populations in Cocoa

In the artificial introduction of the black cocoa ant Dolichoderus thoracicus (Smith) for cont rolling mirid damage in cocoa in Malaysia, initial establishment of introduced ants were often good but the effect was frequently not sustained. This under scored the need for augmentation of populatio...

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Main Author: Ho, Cheng Tuck
Format: Thesis
Language:English
English
Published: 1991
Subjects:
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/10300/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/10300/1/FP_1991_10_A.pdf
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author Ho, Cheng Tuck
author_facet Ho, Cheng Tuck
author_sort Ho, Cheng Tuck
building UPM Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description In the artificial introduction of the black cocoa ant Dolichoderus thoracicus (Smith) for cont rolling mirid damage in cocoa in Malaysia, initial establishment of introduced ants were often good but the effect was frequently not sustained. This under scored the need for augmentation of populations of both the ant and its mutualistic mealybug Cataenococcus hispidus (Morrison). Honeydew of C. hispidus was demonstrated to be the main and preferred source of food of Q. thoracicus. This emphasises the need for mealybug establishment prior to ant introduction for success in establishment of the latter. Transport of C. hispidus by Q. thoracicus was established. Transport was the cumulative effect of random occasions of nymphs being carried in the mandibles of worker ants in the general direction of the ant's trails. Di rect spread of C. hispidus was effected by crawlers. Crawlers were most stimulated to do this when mother colonies were stressed, particularly through the dessication of host substrate.
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institution Universiti Putra Malaysia
institution_category Local University
language English
English
last_indexed 2025-11-15T07:42:24Z
publishDate 1991
recordtype eprints
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spelling upm-103002011-03-22T00:42:40Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/10300/ The Importance of Mealybugs and Colony Compatibility in Augmentation of Dolichoderus Thoracicus (Smith) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Populations in Cocoa Ho, Cheng Tuck In the artificial introduction of the black cocoa ant Dolichoderus thoracicus (Smith) for cont rolling mirid damage in cocoa in Malaysia, initial establishment of introduced ants were often good but the effect was frequently not sustained. This under scored the need for augmentation of populations of both the ant and its mutualistic mealybug Cataenococcus hispidus (Morrison). Honeydew of C. hispidus was demonstrated to be the main and preferred source of food of Q. thoracicus. This emphasises the need for mealybug establishment prior to ant introduction for success in establishment of the latter. Transport of C. hispidus by Q. thoracicus was established. Transport was the cumulative effect of random occasions of nymphs being carried in the mandibles of worker ants in the general direction of the ant's trails. Di rect spread of C. hispidus was effected by crawlers. Crawlers were most stimulated to do this when mother colonies were stressed, particularly through the dessication of host substrate. 1991 Thesis NonPeerReviewed application/pdf en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/10300/1/FP_1991_10_A.pdf Ho, Cheng Tuck (1991) The Importance of Mealybugs and Colony Compatibility in Augmentation of Dolichoderus Thoracicus (Smith) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Populations in Cocoa. Masters thesis, Universiti Pertanian Malaysia. Dolichoderus - Mealybugs - Case studies English
spellingShingle Dolichoderus - Mealybugs - Case studies
Ho, Cheng Tuck
The Importance of Mealybugs and Colony Compatibility in Augmentation of Dolichoderus Thoracicus (Smith) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Populations in Cocoa
title The Importance of Mealybugs and Colony Compatibility in Augmentation of Dolichoderus Thoracicus (Smith) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Populations in Cocoa
title_full The Importance of Mealybugs and Colony Compatibility in Augmentation of Dolichoderus Thoracicus (Smith) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Populations in Cocoa
title_fullStr The Importance of Mealybugs and Colony Compatibility in Augmentation of Dolichoderus Thoracicus (Smith) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Populations in Cocoa
title_full_unstemmed The Importance of Mealybugs and Colony Compatibility in Augmentation of Dolichoderus Thoracicus (Smith) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Populations in Cocoa
title_short The Importance of Mealybugs and Colony Compatibility in Augmentation of Dolichoderus Thoracicus (Smith) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Populations in Cocoa
title_sort importance of mealybugs and colony compatibility in augmentation of dolichoderus thoracicus (smith) (hymenoptera: formicidae) populations in cocoa
topic Dolichoderus - Mealybugs - Case studies
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/10300/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/10300/1/FP_1991_10_A.pdf